Garment pressing machine



A ril 4, 1933. H. H. M DERMOTT GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Original FiledDec. 21, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet l A ril 4, 1933.

H. H. M DERMOTT Original Filed Dec. 21, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 4,1933.

H. H. McDERMOTT GARMENT PRESSYING menu I 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original FiledDec. 21, 1927 April 4, 1933. H. H. MCDERMOTT 1,903,320

VGARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 21, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 4I n Us nTo'F fa m /7 flak/W207? p l 4, 1933. i H. H. MODERMOTT 1,903,320

GARMENT PRES S I NG MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 21, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet5 mmmi;

. v 7 t E 75 9 63 flit-6W5 April 4, 1933; H. H. McDERMOTT GARMENTPRESSING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 21, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 PatentedApr. 4, 1933 UNITED STATES HARRY H. MCDERMOT'I, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN LAUNDRY i PATENT OFFICE MACHINERY COMPANY, 01CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO GARMENT PRESSING MACHINEApplication filed December 21, 1927, Serial No. 241,560. Renewed.November 11, 1930.

The invention relates to improvements in garment pressing and ironingmachines and more particularly to that class of such 'mach nes as areemployed for pressing and ironing garments, fabrics, and the like.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improvedmachine of this character which is of simple construction and highlyefficient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of thischaracter capable of pressing and ironing in one operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of thischaracter which is automatic and positive in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of thischaracter so constructed and arranged as to be capable of use either asa combined pressing and ironing machine or as a pressing machine only.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and claimed.

, The invention will be bestunderstood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, and in which Fig. 1 is aside view of a machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a rear viewofthe same;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 4 a detail section of one of two telescoping steam pipes employedin the machine;

Fig. 5 a transverse vertical section through the upper portion of themachine;

Fig. 6 a detail plan view, partially in section of two cushioning armsemployed in the machine;

Fig. 7 an enlarged detail plan view, partially in section, ofcontrolling means employed in the machine; 7

Fig. 8 a section taken substantially on line 88 of Fig. 7; V

Fig. 9 a section taken substantially on line 99 of Fig. 8; V

Fig. 10 anenlarged detail section of a control valve employed in themachine;

Fig. 11 a section taken substantially on line 11-11 of Fig. 10; v

Fig. 12 a detail section of another telescoping steam pipe arrangementemployed in the machine. 7

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawingscomprises a suitable supporting frame 15 having a suitable hollowpressing buck 16 supported on the top of said frame on a suitablestandard 17 and whereby said buck is available for the reception andsupport of articles for pressing and ironing, as will be readilyunderstood. The buck 16 is supplied with steam through a supply pipe 18for maintaining the same in heated conditiorn (lo-operating with thebuck 16 is a hollow pressing and ironing head 19 supported on twohangers 20 slidable on a transverse uide rod 21 mounted at the forwardend 0 two supporting arms 22'a'nd 23. The supporting arms 22 and 23 areconnected at their rear ends by means of a cross bar or yoke 2 1 therebyproviding a supporting frame and said supporting frame is mounted forvertical movements bymeans of two slide rods 25 slidable in suitablebearings 26 at the rear of the frame 15. By this arrangement, it will benoted, that the head 19 is mounted for vertical movement into and outofoperative relation with the buck 16 and is also mounted for lateralmovement on the guide rod 21.

V On'its top, the head 19 carries a transverse rack bar 27 meshing witha pinion 28 at the forward end of an. operating shaft 29 which in turncarries a pinion 30 at its rear end meshing with a vertical rack bar 31,as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The rack bar 31 is mounted toreciprocate in the vertical gu ide housing'32 which may be fixed on yoke24, the upper end of said guide housing limiting the upward movement ofthe rack bar and thereby limiting the relative movement permittedbetween the rack bar 31 and its co-operating pinion 30." The rack bar 31is formed onthe upper end of a piston rod 33 connected with a piston 34in a vertical steam cylinder 35 mounted at the rear of the frame 15, asbest shown in Fig. 2. The cylinder 35 and piston 34: serve as a meansfor vertically reciprocating the rack bar 31 when'desired.

By this arrangement, it will be noted, that when the rack bar 31 isresting against the top of the housing 32 and the piston 34 is loweredin the cylinder 35, the head 19, by the controlling action of said rackbar, will be lowered into operative engagement with the buck 16. As soonas the head 19 operatively engages said buck, further lowering of thehead is prevented by reason of the lost motion or separable connectionbetween the head and rack bar, and further lowering of the piston 34causes relative movement between the rack bar 31 and the pinion 30. Thisrelative movement causes rotation of shaft 29 and consequent lateralsliding or movement of the head 19 to effect an ironing action on anarticle on the buck 16, as will be readily understood. The ironingaction thus induced results from the lateral sliding or slip between thepressing head and the buck and closely resembles that employed by thehuman hand in the ordinary ironing operation in that it produces eithera partial or a full gloss of the surface of the goods being ironeddepending upon the degree of pressure and heat.

Upon the return or up-stroke of the piston rod and rack bar 31, thepinion is rotated to move the head back laterally, resulting in areverse ironing action, and upon reaching the limit of the rotation ofthe pinion, further movement of the piston red, by means of the lostmotion connection, raises the head off the buck to its initial position.

A stop collar 36 is mounted on the piston rod 33 and arranged to engagewith oppo sitely disposed rocker arms 37, best shown in Figs. 2 and 6.These rocker arms 37 are pivoted at their outer ends to the upperbearings 26 and are connected with the upper ends of push rods 38carrying compression springs 39 resting at their lower ends in pocketson the cross bar 40 of the frame 15. By this arrangement, it will benoted, that as the head 19 is lowered into operative engagement with thebuck 16, the lowering movement is cushioned by the cushion arms 37 andshocks and jars during operation thereby prevented. A stop nut 41 isarranged at the lower end of each push rod 38 to limit the upwardmovement thereof and suitable nuts are provided at the upper ends ofsaid push rods for adjusting the tension of the springs 39, as will bereadily understood.

The cylinder 35 is supplied with steam through a steam supply pipe 42leading into the rear end of a valve casing 43 formed at the upper endof said cylinder, as best indicated in Figs. 1, 2, 10 and 11. The valvecasing 43 is provided with an internal cylindrical bore 44 and acylindrical slide valve 45 having longitudinal steam passages 46therein, as shown, and whereby both ends of the steam chamber 44 areConstantly supplied with live steam through the supply pipe 42. Suitablepacking rings 47 are provided, as shown, on the slide valve 45 and saidslide valve is connected with a control rod 48 extending through theforward end of the valve casing 46. A compression spring 49 is alsoimprisoned in the forward end of the steam chamber 44 and tends to holdthe valve 45 yieldingly in its rearmost position. An exhaust port 50 isarranged centrally in the lower portion of the valve casing 43 as shown.A steam supply port 51 leads from the rear portion of the valve casinginto the upper portion of the cylinder 35 and a similar steam supplyport 52 leads from the forwanjl portion of the valve easing into thelower end of the cylinder 35. The exhaust port 50 leads to an exhaustpipe 53, as shown. The slide valve 45 is provided with a central valvepassage 54 and with end passages 55 and 56, said passages serving, whenthe slide valve 45 is in its forward position, as indicated in Fig. 10,to supply the upper end of the cylinder 35 with live steam through theport 51 and to exhaust the lower end of said cylinder through ports 52and 50, whereby when said valve 45 is thus shifted into its forwardposition, the piston 34 will be lowered in its cylinder and the head 19lowered into operative engagement with the buck 16. When the valve 45 isshifted into its rearmost position the lower portion of the cylinder 35will be supplied with live steam through port 52 and the upper end ofthe cylinder exhaust through ports 51 and 50, as will be readilyunderstood, and whereby the valve 45 serves as a means for fullycontrolling the operation of the piston 34 and the head 19, as will bereadily understood.

The control rod 48 is connected at its forward ends with a control lever57 fulcrumed at 58 on a lateral extension 59, at one side of asupporting table 60, mounted at the upper end of rocker arms 61 pivotedon a pivot rod 62 extending transversely across the upper forwardportion of the frame 15 and supported in a central bracket 63 and in theends of said frame, as shown. A stud shaft 64 passes freely through theinner end of the lever 57 and engages at its lower end in a slot 65 inthe table 60. A pinion 66 is mounted in a guide block 67 loosely restingon top of the lever 57, the stud shaft 64 being fixed to the pinion 66and extending freely through the guide block 67 and lever 57. Rack bars68 are slidably mounted in the guide block 67 and en age opposite sidesof the pinion 66. These rack bars 68 are pivotally connected at theirforward ends with rocker arms 69 on sleeves 70 loosely mounted on thepivot rod 62. At their outer ends the sleeves 7O carry operating rockerarms 71 which are pivotally connected with the rear ends of operatinghandles 72. By this arrangement, it will be noted, that operation ofeither of the handles 72 alone will result in a mere idle rotation ofthe pinion 66 and a corresponding idle retraction of the oppo siteoperating handle. However, when both of the handles 72 aresimultaneously moved inwardly or outwardly, the pinion 66 is held fromrotation by the rack bars 68 so that the force applied to the operatinghandles 72 is transmitted through the stud shaft 64 directly to thelever'57 swinging said lever on'its fulcrum, the shaft 64 traveling inthe slot 65 in the table 67 during such operation. Obvi-- ously swingingof the lever 57 operates the control rod 48 and thereby operates theslide valve 45 to control the operations of the piston 34 and the head19, as explained above. In this Way a simple and eflicient controlmechanism is provided which requires simultaneous use of both hands ofthe operator and thereby prevents the operator from permitting eitherhand to become caught in the machine between the head 19 and buck 16.

The head 19 is supplied with live steam through a rearward extension 73connected with a steam pipe 74 leading into a transverse steam head 75arranged transversely at the rear of the machine. (Io-operating with thesteam head 75 is a telescoping steam pipe 76 operating through astuffing box 77 at one end of the steam head 75 and whereby lateralmovements of the head 19 will be permitted as will be readilyunderstood, the pipe section 76 sliding freely in the steam head 75 topermit of such movement. The steam pipe 76 connects with a verticalsteam pipe 78 similarly sliding in a steam head 79 through a stuffingbox 80, the steam head 79 being supplied with live steam through a steampipe 81, as will be readily understood, this arrangement permitting ofvertical movements of the head 19.

The guide rod 21 and pinion 28 are protected by a guard housing 82 bestshown in Figs. 1 and 3. A locking rod 83 is slidably mounted in thehousing 82 and in a guide lug 84, as shown. The rear end of the lookingrod 83 is arranged in operative relation with a hole or socket 85 in thepinion 30 and whereby when the rack bar 31 is elevated into itsuppermost position, the parts may be locked in such position by. meansof the locking rod 83 so as to prevent the lateral ironing movement ofthe head 19 when desired. Under such circumstances the machine will beused as an ordinary pressing machine and without the ironing effect.

hile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of constructionfor carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation andmodification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I,therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details disclosedbut desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as fallwithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A press comprising a buck; a head cooperating therewith; means forraising the head and for controlling the lowering thereof intopressingengagement with the buck; and means for moving said head laterallyduring such pressing engagement; both said means including a commonactuating element; one of said means including a lost motion connectionbetween said head and said element.

2. A press comprising a buck; a head cooperating therewith; means forraising the head and for controlling the lowering thereof into pressingengagement with the buck; and means for moving said head laterallyduring such pressing engagement; both said means including a commonactuating element and lost motion connections between said head and saidelement.

3.- A press comprising a buck; a head cooperating therewith; anactuating element; a separable connection between the head andsaid'element for raising the head and for controlling the loweringthereof into pressing engagement with the buck; and another connectionbetween the head and said element and operable upon separation of thefirst connection for moving said head lat erally.

4. A press comprising a buck; a head cooperating therewith; an actuatingelement; a separable connection between the head and said elementoperable to raise the head from and to control the lowering thereof intopressin engagement with said buck during actuation of said element; andanother connection between the head and said element and operable duringsuch pressing engagement and upon separation of the first connection formoving said head laterally upon further actuation of said element.

5. A press comprising a buck; a head cooperating therewith; an actuatingelement; a connection between the head and the element and operable uponactuation of the element to raise the head and to control the loweringthereof into with the buck; means effecting a disengagement of saidconnection during such pressing engagement; and another connection operative between said head and element during such disengagement for movingsaid head laterally.

6. A press comprising a buck; a head cooperating therewith; an actuatingelement; a connection between the head and said ele ment and operableupon actuation of the elementto raise the head and to control thelowering thereof into pressing engagement with the buck; anotherconnection between said head and element operable during such pressingengagement for moving said head pressing engagement 7 laterally; andmeans rendering said lastnamed connection inoperative during raising andlowering of the head.

7. A press comprising a buck; a vertically reciprocating head over saidbuck; and means for first lowering and then laterally slidin said head;said means including a reciprocating element and independent connectionsbetween the head and said element operable successively during actuationof said element to effect the said movements of the head.

8. A press comprising a buck; a vertically reciprocating head over saidbuck; a reciprocable member; a connection between the head and saidmember operable during a portion of the stroke of said member to controlthe lowering of the head into pressing engagement; and anotherconnection between the head and element operable during the remainder ofthe stroke to slide the head laterally during such pressing engagement.

9. A press comprising a buck; a vertically movable support; a transverseguide on said support; a head slidable on said guide; a transverse rackbar on said head; an operating shaft on said support carrying a pin ionmeshing with said rack bar; another pinion on said shaft; a verticallyreciprocating rack bar meshing with said second pinion; means forlimiting the movement between said vertical rack bar and its pinion; andmeans for vertically moving said rack bar.

10. A press comprising a buck; a head cooperating therewith; anactuating element; connections between said head and said elementindependently operable upon actuation of said element for first loweringsaid head into pressing engagement with said buck and for thereafterimparting a sliding movement to said head; a source of heat; an inletpipe movable with said head; and sets of telescopic pipes operativelymaintaining communication between the heat source and said inlet pipeduring the lowering and sliding movements of the head.

11. A press comprising a buck; a head c0- operating therewith; anactuating element; connections between said head and said elementindependently operable upon actuation of said element for first loweringsaid head into pressing engagement with said buck and for thereafterimparting a sliding movement to said head; a source of heat; an inletpipe movable with said head; and two sets of pipes operative totelescope in directions at right angles to each other thereby tomaintain communication between the source of heat and the inlet pipeduring the lowering and sliding movement of the head.

12. A press comprising a buck; a vertically movable support; atransverse guide on said support; a head depending from and slidable onsaid guide; an actuating element; a separable connection between thesupport and element operable to raise the head from and to control thelowering thereof into pressing engagement with said buck duringactuation of said element; and another connection between said head andsaid element operable during such pressing engagement and uponseparation of the first connection for moving said head laterally uponfurther actuation of said element.

13. A press comprising a buck; a vertically movable support; atransverse guide on said support; a head depending from and slidable onsaid guide; a connection between said support and said element operableupon actuation of the element to raise the head and to control thelowering of the head into pressing engagement with the buck; and aconnection between said head and said element operable during suchpressing engagement to slide said head on said guide.

14. A press comprising a buck; a vertically movable support; atransverse guide on said support; a housing on said support; an elementreciprocable in said housing and operative to engage said housing toraise said support and to control the lowering of said head intopressing engagement with said buck; and a connection between saidelement and said head operative during such pressing engagement to slidesaid head on said guide.

15. A. press comprising a buck. a vertically reciprocating head oversaid buck, means including a vertically moving element havingindependently operable connections with the head for first lowering andthen laterally sliding said head, and means for actuating said element.

In witness whereof I aflix my signature at 10 South La Salle Street,Chicago, Illinois.

HARRY H. MoDER-MOTT.

